How to Solve the Jerusalem Settlement Row

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu dug in his heels in his spat with the United States today. According to the Jerusalem Post, Netanyahu told the Knesset in a speech that:

“Over the past 40 years, there has not been a government in Israel that agreed to limit building in Jerusalem,” Netanyahu said, ticking off the name of every prime minister since Golda Meir and making a clear reference to the furor over last week’s announced plans to build 1,600 units in Ramat Shlomo, which has triggered harsh censure from the US.

Netanyahu doesn’t want to stop building houses for Jews in Palestinian neighborhoods of Jerusalem. But to Palestinians, such settlements are an attempt by Israel to Judaise the city.

Netanyahu should defuse the controvery by offering to build at least 1,600 housing units for Palestinians in Jerusalem. After enduring years of denied building permits by Israeli authorities – and having their unpermited houses bulldozed by the authorities – Palestinians would welcome the move as a step in the direction of equality. And it wouldn’t even disrupt the demographic balance of the city while its fate is decided by negotiations – there are plenty of Palestinians who already live in Jerusalem who need more and better housing.

Just two week ago, the mayor of Jerusalem announced plans to raze 22 Palestinian homes in order to build a tourist attraction. These 22 families should be the first beneficiaries of any new housing built in the city.

“We will continue to maintain Jerusalem as a united city that is open to all religions, in which Jews and Arabs, Christians and Muslims live side by side in coexistence and enjoy freedom of religion and access to the holy places,” the Post quoted Netanyahu as saying.

Does he have the courage and the pragmatism to live up to this sentiment and offer a sensible olive branch?

Militants Warn Rafaeli Not to Marry DiCaprio

Australia’s Sun newspaper reports:

“Jewish militants have ordered supermodel Bar Refaeli not to marry her U.S. actor lover Leonardo Dicaprio, The Sun reported on Friday. The 24-year-old Israeli has been warned that wedding the Titanic actor will dilute the Jewish race.”

Haaretz: Jews Mobilize Against Practice of Spitting at Christians

I had no idea this was happening in Jerusalem. According to Haaretz:
“For years, there have been incidents of Haredi (ultra-orthodox) youths spitting at Christian clergymen in the Old City and near the Mea She’arim neighborhood, according to several Jewish and Christian residents of Jerusalem. One cleric told a European news site that the spitting was ‘almost a daily experience.'”

Texas Education Board: Teach About Israel, Not Hispanics

Conservatives on the Texas State Board of Education set new standards for statewide curricula Friday. The changes include lessons on “American exceptionalism,” the right to bear arms and the superiority of free market capitalism.

They also include, according to the Associated Press, lessons about former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir and the origins of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (I wonder which side’s viewpoint will get more weight there).

Amazingly, while the board found room for lessons about Israel, “Numerous attempts to add the names or references to important Hispanics throughout history also were denied, inducing one amendment that would specify that Tejanos died at the Alamo alongside Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie,” according to the AP.